What is wrong with the following scenario? Mr. and Mrs. Jones have three children. Over the course of a week, each of the children leaves his or her shoes lying in the middle of the living room floor. Mr.and Mrs. Jones ignore the first child’s messiness rationalizing that she is in the middle of finals. Mr. and Mrs. Jones excuse the second child’s carelessness because his girlfriend just broke up with him and he’s feeling down. Mr. and Mrs. Jones confiscate the third child’s shoes, berating her for being so sloppy.

You don’t have to be a parenting expert or in favor of shoes being left lying around to recognize that something is off-kilter in the above family. That is why I was not upset by President Trump’s tweet following the criminal car-ramming in Virginia on Saturday, August 13. While the President was lambasted for initially condemning hatred and violence “on many sides” rather than singling out white supremacists, I didn’t take it that way.

Granted, I have no idea what goes on in President Trump’s mind and I don’t think that we are exactly “kindred spirits,” but wasn’t ready to jump on the indictment bandwagon. In fact, once emotions of the day have subsided, I wish he would give a serious, thoughtful speech explaining that there is a problem when marginalized people on one end of a spectrum are used to condemn large groups of Americans.

Here is a quote from one newspaper article about the gathering that ended in violence. “The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and another arrived to protest the racism.” In other words, wanting a statue of Robert E. Lee to remain where it has stood for many years is inherently racist. No! It is not. It may be something that should be challenged and discussed, but ascribing racism as the only reason for opposing the statue’s removal is wrong. Was the side General Lee chose during the Civil War a side that supported slavery? Yes. But it is a sad comment on the lack of education, wisdom and discernment on the part of people today that we aren’t able to handle the complexities that surrounded the heinous sin of slavery amidst other issues including states’ rights. Maybe a generation that gets their political understanding from late night entertainment shows should grow up before demanding an overthrow of history?

In a country where we hear the comment, “His motives are unknown,” when someone yells Allahu Akbar while murdering people and where those who speak of killing all white people or who attack people because they’re white get no media attention, there seems to be only one association that leads to immediate and virulent condemnation. I’m certainly not in favor or neo-Nazis or white supremacists. But, something is wrong with a scenario that not only sees them as the only violent or hateful people in America, but wantonly includes millions of upstanding citizens among their number. In America today, child #1 gets away with anything as does child #2. Only child #3 is criticized. All the time.

60 comments

I’m astonished and perplexed by the upside down thinking that is running rampant through our country. History is just that! It’s in the past. We need reminders of what our history was to learn and grow from. I heard someone say they interviewed one of the young leftist protesters and that young person didn’t know our country had fought a civil war! Things seem to be spinning completely out of control in our country. It all seems to be focused on taking down the President. Why? Why do they have so much hatred for him? They are so full of their hatred they have lost all ability to be rational. Anyone notice that North Korea backed down? Our leaders have tried diplomatic efforts since 1985 to deal with that country’s leaders and that has created the huge mess we have today. The spoiled boy leader in North Korea needed some strong, tough words rather than someone bowing down to his threats.
I loved your example of how crazy the thinking is regarding the blaming of only one group. Thanks, Susan. I can always count on you to make things more clear and sane.
Praying for our country to become sane again.

I just asked my Liberal friends. I actually don’t see today’s liberals like the Liberal of yesteryear.
Anyway I asked why there is silence when Radical Islam yells Kill all the Jews, Kill all the infidels.
There is a greater number of these supremacist, w more financial backing then there are the White Supremacist.
Why the silence?
I’m so disgusted w the Media and The Left.
Hypocrisy runs deep
Hatred is repent
Yet they believe they are enlightened….

Well said Susan! I didn’t take President’s Trump tweet the way media has. He was protesting violence on ALL sides of the issue. Fighting hatred with hatred is always wrong, no matter what self-serving phrases you use to justify it.

In recent years, a black man was drag behind a truck. Another man was found dead in the same place the cops looked, he was married to a white women. A black man walking down the street is stop because he didn’t like wearing shoes. I was 12 and riding a bike, when a white family come chasing me down the street calling me nigger. I was lived in Ferguson, where iwas treated harshly by the white comunity. All whites are not bad people, but those who have hate in their heart oppress people everyday. And they have a lot of political power. Take off your blinders. How was the Jews treated before and after the consintration camps? Do you have feelings for the ones who died? I have feelings of lost for the ones who died and are dying right now.
My cousin was found dead in a cell, just like the women who was arrested for a traffic stop. He was not suicidal. You may not know what is going on around you, but these events are happening everyday.

Kyra, what you’re writing about are the real problems we need to deal with. There are serious issues of violence, prejudice and hatred that must be tackled. Along with the ones you mentioned must also be the white man in my city who was badly beaten by a group of black men (yelling racial slurs at him) or the number of white and Asian people targeted by the “knock-down” game by black youth. I don’t think you end hatred by deciding that it’s o.k. to hate some groups but not others. Historically, racism against Black people obviously was a huge problem. But we aren’t in 1850 or 1920 or even 1960 now. Somehow, things are getting worse not better right now and we need to look at what is happening now, not in the past – on both sides of the divide. I think the focus on statues actually obscures the real problems. Something is very wrong that relations between the races are worse after 8 years of President Obama. Blaming President Trump for that doesn’t help. (Granted his lack of ability to speak with depth and discretion is a problem, but it didn’t cause the bad blood.)

Have I read your sentiments correctly! Are you insinuating that General Lee’s decision to fight on the side of slavery is nuanced, and ought to be considered within the context of larger issues such as “state’s rights” rather than being condemned outright!

My condemnation of Josef Mengele is complete and without nuance. Would you like me to consider some nuance and equivocate in my condemnation of this NAZI “Angel of Death”?

My condemnation of Adolf Eichmann, who was a pivotal figure in the “final solution” is complete and without nuance. Should I be considering some nuance in his case too?

May the soul of all have died at the hands of NAZI’s or NAZI sympathizers including Heather Heyer, and the Jews who died in the Shoah rest in peace. May the souls of all who have died in the cause to end slavery in North America also rest in peace.

President Lincoln upon discovering that a Mrs Bixby had lost 5 sons on the field of battle during the civil war offered these words:
Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln.

Words like these of Abraham Lincoln are what are best in times like these.

Ian, I love that letter of President Lincoln. Sorry, but as I explain in another answer, it is a flawed analogy to compare Lee or Jackson to Hitler or Mengele. It rouses passion but it doesn’t stand the test of logic.

I never blame any president. And those things I talked about happen in the 2000s. When I was been chased happen in the 70’s. I never said I hated anyone. I hate the sin not the sinner. We all fall short. But I do not like it when people turn a blind eye on what is going on. No it is not right that what a small group of youth are doing. But it is not right for anyone to blame a whole group on a small group.
I know, there were white people who died in the struggle with MLK. And the underground would not have been successful with out white people. But that idol people are fighting over, has a lot of hate attached to it. God is the father of the living, not the died.
I believe God picks our leader like Saul and David. There is no comparing the 2. And Trump was a prophecy that came true. Along with marshal law.

Thank you for your insights into current events. I welcome your point of view and look forward to your emails.
Regarding the current situation, I feel we are entering a very dangerous time in our country’s history where facts don’t matter. Regardless of what actually happened, one side is always wrong, one side is always accused of racism, ignorance and bigotry while the other side’s actions are often overlooked or not reported since it doesn’t fit the agenda. When will common sense return to man? When will facts become the basis to making an intelligent decision? I’m afraid it will be a long time, if ever, until men and women of all races and background will be able to communicate without fear. Until then, I don’t see a good outcome for our country or society. I pray I’m wrong and for protection for my family until then.

Gary – you do realize that the acronym NAZI means “national SOCIALIST.” This term is much more appropriate when applied to Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and the other far left groups that our fine “journalists” termed “counter-protesters” rather than “left wing thugs.” These are the people who came in with urine-filled balloons and baseball bats and had undergone NO permitting process to protest, unlike the so-called “white nationalists” who were there regarding the statue issue. For YOU to have so little regard for the facts is sickening, and YOU should be ashamed of yourself and your ignorance.

Jean, You are, of course, right about Nazi being an acronym for National Socialist, but the Nazis would not have been capable of the evil they did without centuries of church anti-Semitism laying the groundwork. I think we have much to fear in this country should there be a rise in white supremacists AND if there should be a rise in Antifa type supporters on the Left. It doesn’t help, as you say, that the much of the media is not being an honest broker but has chosen to be propagandists instead. We are losing the ability for all of us to know facts and we are all becoming more ignorant because our culture is moving away from intelligent and fact-based discussion to screaming at each other.

In truth the acronym NAZI may contain the words “National Socialist”, but NAZISM was historically and practically a rightwing philosophy with more in common with the totalitarian philosophy espoused by the dictatorships of Franco (Spain) or Mussolini. Certainly NAZISM had little in common with Marxism or traditional socialism and the emphasis was on “national”. Therefore Nazism and Antifa are not philosophically related. It is odious for Jean to try to draw a parallel between “Black Lives Matter” and Nazism.

Implying that the “Unite the Right” rally is merely a “statue issue” conveniently ignores the fact that the march was organized by people who clearly stated that they were “neo-nazis”. Neo-Nazis who chanted in the march, “The Jews will not replace us” and “blood and soil”. “Blood and Soil” is a literal translation of the Nazis “Blud und Bloden” battle cry. Black Lives Matter seeks equal rights for all people including people of color. It is no way trying to purify America of Jews or people who are of a “different blood”.

Also the reason why the statues stirs such emotion is that they commemorate people who fought to enforce slavery. While some states merely declared a desire to secede from the Union, several states (Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina) also issued formal “Declaration of Causes”. A primary reason stated for the secession was the defense of slavery, indeed the refusal of the Northern States to respect the “Fugitive Slave Act” was also cited. These documents are extant and can be readily consulted online by anyone of good faith who wants to know why the “Confederacy” seceded.

Trying to draw parallels between Nazism and “Black Lives Matter” is what is truly sickening. Trying to say that celebrating and glorifying slavery and those who fought to preserve slavery is just a “statue issue” is also sickening.

Right on. Ignorance is dangerous. Perhaps a discussion of our country’s educational standards might be appropriate. Lee was flawed, but so was LBJ and Robert Byrd. It seems forgiveness and pardon are only considered valid when expedient. Thank you Susan.

Coming from Holland, my father shared with me who were mostly supporting Hitler there during the war and it was not the far right! It was the communists, atheists and socialists who were betraying their own people and supporting Hitler. The Christians ,mostly in the North, and who who read the bible every day after their meals were willing to hide the Jews, mostly on their farms even at their own peril. Many were betrayed and lost their lives or taken to concentration camps never to return including my father’s best friend. Many Dutch immigrants here in Canada shared their stories at my parents home and later, in their Dutch Nursing home. They had some amazing stories to tell but they are now with the Lord. The Dutch underground moved the Jews all through Holland but on the farms, they were hidden from view since the barns are attached to their homes and the farmers had some extra food. The underground could also safely supply them with extra food rations without suspicions of any of their neighbors. I would encourage your readers to read “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boom , “Bonhoeffer” by Eberhard Bethge and “Resistance on a Bicycle” by Dirk van Leenen

Willemina, I just got the autobiography of Diet Eman, another Dutch Resistance worker. I have, more than once, encouraged people to read “The Hiding Place,” and I don’t know that specific book about Bonhoeffer, but I have read others. I will look for the book by Dirk van Leenen. Your analogy would suggest that much more knowledge of those who participated in the Underground Railroad as well as Northerners (like Gen. Chamberlain, I believe) who chose to fight because of their repugnance at slavery would do more for this country than the hatred for Lee or Jackson.

I wholeheartedly disagree agree, let’s say you lived in Germany, and you being Jewish wasn’t given a platform to speak out about anything concerning the governing body, and what was written in the history books only showed the Nazi point of view of that time period and let’s say everything written was in a good light on their part so much so they named schools and highway and streets after Hitler and Stalin would you feel good about your children going to those schools being taught their history seeing those monuments everywhere it would take you to a dark place would it not? Protesting is fine, but when these very hateful people goes on college campuses to recruit young people and carrying torches chanting evil chants, and spreading their vile beliefs and the president waits two to three days before saying anything but when he finally reads something he clearly doesn’t believes in his heart, because the next day or do he in his own words walked it back, although history is what it is, I would rather all such monuments be placed in a museum, that way all who want to visit may ,and while there’s many angry people in this country it was on the backs of African American this country was built and for us to not have been equally treated with voting rights, the laws are clearly not just and there are Many things this president can do to right so many wrongs, the republican are in office now unlike when President Obama was in office having a republican congress that wouldn’t work with him, this president has a moral right to denounce hate mungering groups and set the example that he’s Not going to tolerate anything that encroaches on others rights so that healing can take place #Noentitlement

Hi Jacqueline, I appreciate your taking the time to write down your thoughts. I’d like to try a different comparison rather than Hitler or Stalin. Hitler and Stalin both masterminded the murder of groups of their citizens. Lee and Jackson did not mastermind slavery. It was in existence hundreds of years, first in the colonies and then in these United States, when the Civil War began. You could ask me if I would object to a statue of some of the Popes standing in Germany or European countries. Many pogroms took place in Europe, some spilling out of church doors especially at Easter, and the head of the Catholic Church had more power than Lee or Jackson had. They could not have ended slavery even had they joined the Union Army, while some of the popes could have made a huge difference in speaking out against anti-Semitism. (I’m not an expert in European history or Church history so if anyone has more information than I do, please pipe in.) Nevertheless, in some countries especially, the Catholic Church with its flaws and plusses is a part of the history. The popes acted within the framework of their times and their attitude to Jews mattered a great deal to my ancestors but in the greater scheme it is only part of the picture. I don’t think that anyone who supports a statue of a pope of those years is automatically anti-Semitic nor do I think those statues have no place.
General Lee should have credit for surrendering and discouraging the continuation of guerrilla warfare. Slavery was an issue (a great sin to be sure) from before the founding of this country and that is very different than Hitler or Stalin who took societies and changed them. I am not a Southerner and my family came to America way only after the Civil War, but I don’t think that Abraham Lincoln with his encouragement of “malice towards none,” would approve of the way this issue is being handled. I can hear that perhaps the statues etc., should come down but as a response to violence on the Left and mob rule – not the right way. And certainly, ignoring all hatred except that associated with one political party is wrong.

The individuals in Charlottesville who wanted the statue moved did go about it correctly; by petitioning the city counsel. That statue was erected during the Jim Crow years in 1924 and to some of the folks in Charlottesville, that statue reminded them of that era. It doesn’t matter how good or bad Lee was and he was truly a mixture of both (with the bad being very bad) but that is not why the statue is unwelcome among some people.
There are a group of women in NY who have been trying for 10 years to get rid of a statue of J Marion Sims, father of gynecology, who engaged on horrendous human experimentation on slave women and their newborn infants. There is no reason that they must constantly pass a statue that reminds them of oppression.
Isn’t art meant to be enjoyed? Shouldn’t it inspire us? Were those statues built for eternity? Are they sacred to the point that they can’t be relocated to a place where they are more appreciated? My great-great grandfather Isacc Glietzman, did serve in the Confedracy but I don’t like statues of people in general and certainly don’t view the Confederacy as something that needs to be constantly remembered.

Let me applaud you Jacqueline. I agree with everything you said. 100%. You deserve a medal of courage. Unfortunately Mrs. Lapin will NEVER see things through that lense. The Jewish struggle is always the worse thing to happen in world history. It’s like she says “Yeah slsvery was bad but…” And she always finds a way to put President Obama in a negative light. According to her he never did anything right and he was nothing but a failure. I disagree. 100%. Those statues were erected long after slavery to keep African Americans in fear. They were supposed to remind us that white supremacists held the power and we better not step out of line. It’s shameful for anyone to defend those marching and carrying tiki torches and chanting “Jews will not replace us”. Unacceptable.

Latricia, I actually don’t see the Jewish struggle as the worst to happen – unfortunately persecution, murder, torture and evil have been around in many places and times. And, as I said, I definitely hear an argument that the statues should be labelled in a way that describes the history or they should be moved to different locations or taken down. There is an argument to be made and it may be a strong one. I would very much appreciate hearing a reasoned debate on the subject. What I don’t think should happen is that they should be removed as part of a hysteria promoted by threat of mob violence or by latching on to the actions of one evil (and probably disturbed) person.

Right is right and wrong is wrong so no matter the color or race treat people the way you would like to be treated . We were all supposedly created equal so I’m quite disappointed in us Christians for not speaking up on behalf of all mistreated races and sweeping it under the rug as if it isn’t any of our business. Makes me wonder about our integrity and Morale’s and compassion and what would JESUS think about our silence during these ugly and hateful times

That’s because child #1 & 2 were raised permissively, whereas child #3 was raised in a disciplined manner. In light of that it becomes easy to understand how we have Antifa and all the other willful dissenters who are howling, smashing and acting out like spoiled willful children, against those who became self- disciplined responsible adults.

To continue the bad-parenting analogy, child #3 was following the rules (parade permit, organized march) while the favored child (alt left) taunted and provoked the other without supervision or comment by the parents (police) until after the situation blew up.
The man who drove a car into a crowd has no excuse and deserves prosecution. But there must be some acknowledgement that the counter-protesters contributed to the tragedy. Was the original parade violent before counter-protesters?

Thanks for your courageous Musing! Last evening a friend sent me an insightful video on YouTube by a foreigner. It was unfortunately laced with ‘U.K.’ profanity, however this did not detract from its message. The narrator played snippets from the ‘alt-right’ marching in Charlottesville, and then opened discussion on the root causes of the violence. To support the discussion, he replayed (1) a young white female candidate for congress (Democratic) passionately deriding ‘white privilege’ and proclaiming her guiding principle, ‘to shut whites up,’ and (2) our previous vice president announcing the goal of his party, to rebalance the ethnic composition of the US, to make whites the ‘new minority.’ Given the so-called ‘white supremacists’ carrying tiki torches and chanting ‘We will not be replaced,’ his conclusion: now WHO set the stage for this violence, anyway? Oft a resident of a distant land can see matters with a rarefied perspective: the Democratic Left staged this catastrophe and set the clock ticking.

The New radical Left is rich in political Narrative and impoverished in history. Certainly there are despicable ‘white supremacists’ carrying swastikas, but there are also less virulent ‘white nationalists’ and both are far outnumbered by common folk who rightfully protest the maligning of their heritage. Our Left, with characteristic paralogical formative thinking, lumps them all together as ‘racists.’ Someone’s Narrative directed anger at our President for daring to suggest that the blame lies on BOTH sides. They wanted a Barack to poke his presidential nose into a local matter and pass imperial judgment before all the facts were known, like ‘The police acted stupidly.’ Now much of America behaves like small children, smearing our President (and his family) with the verbal diarrhea of innuendo, accusations and vile epithets. Certain ‘news’ outlets are exceeding their usual disgraceful standard of yellow journalism to caricature our President not only as a lame duck, but as a dead duck in office. Ms. Susan, I likewise do not fault our President. Yet in attributing the violence to multiple agents, he is labeled a “racist and Nazi sympathizer.” But it does take two to tango, and 90% of America’s political violence is orchestrated and perpetrated by the Left.

Thank you Susan. I agree wholeheartedly with your perspective. Consider the tale of two scenarios:

Scenario #1

Weapon : Car
Driven by: Islamic extremist
Verdict : Nothing to do with Islam
Action : Focus on possible hate crimes against Muslims
Narrative: We need to understand our responsibility in causing the disenfranchised among us to act out in violence.
Protests against by the Left: zero

A wise observation. I also have to wonder at the amount of “hatred” many of my peers (and even family members) spew when speaking of our current president. Aren’t they guilty of the same base behavior?

Thank you for your insight Susan. I also agreed with President Trump when he said both sides were behaving badly. I find racism disgusting, but I also find those who are supposedly fighting racism by acting violently and filling balloons with urine to throw at people equally disgusting. Tearing down a statue isn’t going to make a racist suddenly rethink his/her views. If we’re going to remove the statue of every person who ever did something wrong or offensive, then I feel safe in saying there will be no statues.

Thank You Susan. Love the way you an Rabbi Lapin explain “how the world really works” in a simple, understandable, no nonsense way. Thanks for keeping us informed. Thanks for teaching us . But, most of all you give us encouragement to – Press On. Todd & Marie PS: Listen to all your podcasts !

Well said! I listened to a national radio show last night while cleaning. During the last thirty minutes of the show, ALL the calls were from older, very polite Southern folks who said that while they did not support slavery or the KKK, they were against their history being erased as such. The talk show host was very dismissive and ignorant towards them. I too am not for slavery or racist groups either however, should we tear down the White House since that was erected on the backs of some slaves? How about the pyramids – should the Egyptians tear them down too since they were built on the backs of both slaves and prisoners? How about the remains from both Greek and Roman cultures? Their civilizations too were built on the backs of largely WHITE slaves. Slavery is/was an evil to be condemned. Hate groups on BOTH sides (including New Black Panthers, Black Lives Matter, etc) should be condemned. I can tell the difference though between historical facts and hate. I personally hope that the dismissiveness of American history and removal of the monuments do not backfire on society. It seems to me that such issues should be brought to debate and voted on. If not, marginalizing this issue may lead to some joining in with those who they never would have supported if that is the only way they will be heard. Let’s hope not!

You are surprised that on the radio broadcast “Southern folks” were polite and “SAID” they did not support slavery or the KKK … but they were ” … against their history being erased as such”. Why are you surprised that they were articulate and gentlemanly? It is a mistake to believe that one cannot be charming while supporting an evil ideology. And an even bigger mistake to believe someone just because they say they do not support the KKK or slavery. Adolf Eichmann was a key architect of the “Final Solution” which lead to the death of millions of innocents who were labelled “sub-human”; and as Leonard Cohen noted, he was quite “normal” and quite possibly gentlemanly. Do not be seduced by eloquent words. You should also look at the purpose behind the words. Slavery in the Americas was an abomination.

All There is to Know about Adolf Eichmann (Written by Leonard Cohen)
EYES:……………………………………Medium
HAIR:……………………………………Medium
WEIGHT:………………………………Medium
HEIGHT:………………………………Medium
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES…None
NUMBER OF FINGERS:………..Ten
NUMBER OF TOES………………Ten
INTELLIGENCE…………………….Medium
What did you expect?
Talons?
Oversize incisors?
Green saliva?

Thank you for your common sense on this issue. It is woefully missing on all to many fronts. I have felt like I am living in the pages of the book 1984 as everyone has been jumping on the condemn the President bandwagon.

I have been actively seeking a reality check because it seemed I was not hearing the same thing the Dems, the MSM, the never Trumpers, the inside-the-beltway Republican know-it-alls, and the weak-kneed leaders of American industry. I heard the president condemn hatred and violence and bigotry on all sides. I understand that was not as definitive as some wanted him to be in condemning the KKK and neo-Nazis. He corrected that by specifically calling out those groups on Monday. It still wasn’t enough. Let’s be real. Nothing the President says is ever going to satisfy his critics. But several of his points were right on target.

As disgusting as the extreme right, represented by the KKK and the neoNazis, is, is the extreme left any better? Look at the violence and destruction they displayed when Milo Yiannopolis was prevented from speaking at Berkeley, or when Ann Coulter was similarly prevented from speaking in the same venue, or when Betsy DeVos had to be escorted into a charter school by police to ensure her safety from protestors. Is violence from the left acceptable simple because the group calls itself Antifa or Black Lives Matter rather than KKK or neoNazi?

Now the left wants to tear down statues not just of leaders from the Confederacy, but from anyone who was a slave holder? Again, President Trump raised this specter in his speech on Monday. Are we doomed to fight another civil war because we have failed to learn the lessons of the first one and of the civil rights movement lead by Dr. Martin Luther King? I very much fear so unless people stop posturing, stop wallowing in political correctness, and start seriously considering what we want our country to be. I for one would like to see us keep the statues of the past and learn the lessons of history so that one day every American can truthfully say that what matters is not the color of his neighbor’s skin, his ethnic origin, or his religious creed, but the content of his character.

Neither did I see anything missing in Trump’s initial comments. If Love prevailed on one side, there probably would not have been any violence. Instead, on the left was Antifa, an “alt-left” organization whose stated aim is to create violence, and the same group which created violence at Trump campaign rallies. The Media, predictably, ascribed the violence to Trump’s rhetoric. An objective media would investigate the timeline of events and the nature of all groups present, something I am waiting for the FBI to provide. But, of course, journalists are in competition with one another to make a name for themselves with the most sensational headlines, but only ones that fit the most popular worldview, the view of their friends and colleagues. The opinion writers have transformed Trump’s remarks into a “pseudo event”.

A visiting Pastor was attending a member’s breakfast in a Mississippi Farm County. He asked one of the impressive older farmers in attendance to say grace that morning. After all were seated, the older farmer began——Dear Lord, I hate buttermilk.

The Pastor opened one eye and wondered to himself where this was going. Then the farmer loudly proclaimed, and Lord, I hate lard, too!

Now the Pastor was worried. However, without missing a beat, the farmer prayed on, and Lord, you know I don’t care much for raw white flour either.

Just as the Pastor was ready to stand and stop everything, the farmer continued, But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them up, I do love fresh biscuits. So, Lord, when things come up we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we just don’t understand what you are sayin’ to us, we just need to relax and wait until You are done mixing and probably it will be somethin’ even better than biscuits.

“Why is there prejudice?” That was the question asked me by a teen while I was sub-teaching at a high school. My answer: ” That is a complicated issue that has troubled me for years. It could be blamed on ignorance, or bad parents, or horrible violent experience, or reading slanted prejudiced books. Sin is complex, not a one sentence answer . Violence, prejudice and hatred has always perplexed me. I am presently seeing a black Nigerian man a neighbor who has enlightened me on the horrible history of his country. I am the only person who sees him regularly who is not black he told me. We have become friends and have great talks about everything. But whether it is the hatred of a Chrysostom church father against the zJews in the 4 th cent or a Luther in the 16th century or the genocides in the 19th to 21st century in Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Sunnis against Shia or our own murderous people in America I believe only Jesus is the answer. I don’t mean following His example but a dynamic personal receiving Him as Saviour and Lord and allowing the deep probing of His teaching to change the heart. Many of you will disagree but I have seen and met too many people who were the worst killers prejudiced hateful impossible men and women who are now filled with love to God and all people and prove it by amazing acts to persons they once hated like the apostle Paul once hated Jesus and all Christians. I am finished but hope this helps someone.

It would seem reasonable to assume the fiercest fighters have been those defending their homeland, and so I’d presume that it will be those that possess the regard of endearment in considering any place as such will be those that (at least should) ultimately prevail to secure it, for themselves, rather than expect any stranger to yield it. Moses did not incite his people to rise up against Egypt, he led them out of it. And Joshua did not take the promised land as much as he only received that which was given him.

Psalm 127 begins “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it:…”

and Proverb 26:20 says, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”

Well Said.
My thoughts KEEP being, where are the parents? #1
And #2, this is what you get when you have ignored what your children have been taught over the last 30+ years. We are now starting to be forcibly fed the fruit of our inattention.
We can’t have it both ways. If so many people were paying attention to their kids (ask ANY parent how their kids are doing in school), how is it “The youth” in this country are so misguided? AND If we were laying such a great foundation (as almost any parent will surely attest), how is it they so easily collapse the second they step foot on a college campus?
I have watched this day coming for decades now. I PERSONALLY had a job for over 3 decades where I went into peoples homes for my career. And I have witnessed first-hand how our youth were being raised. It’s amazing what you will witness from people when they think you can’t affect their lives. People act totally differently in front of certain people (police, government official, Pastor, Rabbi, news media, etc,,,) than they are in front of, “he’s just the contractor”!
Don’t be shocked, my Brothers and Sisters, after all, “This divorce won’t affect the kids!!!”.

Thank you for all you do!!!
Rabbi Daniel and Susan Lapin, My wife and my prayers are with you and we thank you for making us stronger in our faith!!!

Is it possible that when a group of people are walking down the street yelling “Hail Hitler” wearing Nazi paraphernalia that they are simply celebrating a man who brought Germany back from economic devastation after WWI? It’s possible. Is it possible that the Civil War was mainly fought over the federal government infringing on the southern states rights to set tax policy or drinking age rather then abolish slavery? It’s possible I suppose. Is it possible that when people yell Death to Israel they simply mean not the Israeli people but rather some vague concept of the Israeli state? All these answers are possible, and might even be true for a few individuals, however, I don’t think they are very probable.

Even if I give you that their might have been some “fine people” protesting the removal of General Lee statue for virtuous reasons, I think we both would have to agree that they were not wise in who they associated with. If I was protesting abortion and found out that the people next to me were chanting to blow up the clinic, I would immediately remove myself before I got associated with them.

Now on a general note, as a Christian I don’t believe in returning violence with violence. When you are trying to change hearts rather than win a physical war, I think the MLK/Gandhi approach (as proven by history) is better. I believe only the supernatural act of Christ can melt a hardened heart. I also don’t think it’s wise to judge historical figures outside of the context of their own history. That being said I can empathize with the counter protesters. Although slavery ended more then 200 years ago, civil rights only happened in the 60s. Meaning if you are currently a young white person in Charlottesville it’s highly probable that you have a living parent or grand parent that marched through the streets carrying torches for completely different reasons. Also its highly probable if you are young black person in Charlottesville you had a parent or grandparent threatened by one of those mobs.

Dear Phillip, I agree with the last statement about child #3. By only singling out child 3, the parent only created wrath, separation, anger. Child 3 only grew up watching what child 1 and 2 did, but child 3 was told to do something different. The story of Joseph is one such story. It was only God’s will that nothing happen to Joseph. What happens when a wrathful man grows up or a generation of wrathful men? They only think what is right in their own eyes. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Dear Phillip,
You have gotten to the heart of the matter. Yes it is possible that there were some “fine people” marching with the “neo-nazis”, but it is highly improbable. And a person of good conscience who mistakenly entered the ranks of the “neo-nazis” would have broken ranks. Common sense suggests that “birds of a feather flock together”, and so all the marchers with the neo-nazis were of one mind.

God bless America! I pray for President Trump!? The past is the past! There is so much happening around the world today regarding terrorist, Korea, Iran, etc.. We do not need to dwell on false information that the media reports, or the immature, destructive behavior, that citizens display.
Division brings destruction! Unity brings strength!

What happening here in the United States is the recurrence of what I saw happened in China 40 years ago. I was a 9 grader who had just arrived in China August 1966. I saw many statues and old temples were destroyed in order to get rid of the capitalist /bourgeois influence. I am very concerned for what has been happening in this country. Thank you Susan for your courage to speak up.